An Abridged Dynasty
by RedCaprice
Summary: When Hermione Granger goes a quest to find her parents in Australia, she discovers something unexpected.  Bellatrix Lestrange was her mother, and Tom Riddle was her father. This is the story of how Voldemort and Bellatrix created a child... and lost her.
1. Chapter 1

**An Abridged Dynasty **

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Author's Note: My goal was to write this story so that could fit in the canon timeline and in such a way that would make you wonder if things could have really been this way. Unfortunately, as I continued to write, the plot holes that arose with that hope were… annoying. (Trust me, I've stalked the Bellatrix and Death Eaters Wiki hard during writing this, I know where the holes are.) That was my original intention and as I continue to write it's what I'm trying to stick with. So if something doesn't fit perfectly, please excuse my creative license. **

**Oh, and one more thing- I've posted this early in celebration of Chewie4370's Birthday! Happy Birthday Challa! (I didn't forget)**

Prologue

O~~~~~O

After a year of searching for her parents, Hermione was exhausted not only physically, but emotionally. She was finally forced to faced the idea that maybe they had moved away from Australia. She had obliviated her parents and implanted a desire in them that made them impulsively move to Australia, maybe is wasn't such a stretch that they remained impulsive and would continue to move. The could be anywhere. Aside from how easily she was able to convince her parents via obliviation that they didn't have a daughter, what disturbed and upset Hermione the most was when she first started this quest to find her parents was a memory, something she never remembered until now.

_She ran into a huge room with black and white marble floors and huge black marble columns. Rich tapestries hung from the walls but she could barely see them because of all the men that stood around in dark robes. Hermione could only clearly picture these men from the knee down, she must have been quite young. She remembered laughing because her daddy told her once that this was his palace and she was his little princess._

"_Daddy, are all these men around your pwinces?" She asked him on that particular day._

"_Yes, love, you could say that. Although they are not the heir to my throne, you are."_

"_That!" She exclaimed happily and then burst into a fit of girlish giggles._

"_What are you laughing about, my little princess?"_

"_You said, 'you could say that,' an' I did! Daddy, do you wuv me?"_

"_Dearest, I would do dark and disturbing things for you."_

She figured that she must not have understood at the time because she remembered herself just jumping up, laughing, and running off.

The memory came in bits and pieces, at first she just saw snippets of the opulent throne room, then the men standing around, then another memory would come of leaping playfully up to the dais, and then finally the one of her crawling into this strange man's lap with the ease of a little girl that had done it many, many times before.

This particular morning, Hermione woke up with another piece of the memory that her mind seemed so desperate for her to remember. She remembered that strange silly conversation that she had with the man she called Daddy.

She wondered if it were real. Deep down in the darkest places of her mind, she knew who the man was, she just wasn't ready to admit it to herself. She just didn't know why she would call him daddy. Why would she call any man other than John Granger daddy?

O~~~~~O

Chapter One

_The story starts in 1973, a year after Narcissa graduated Hogwarts, Bellatrix has been out of school five years and is looking for something to finally do with her life._

Bellatrix was a beautiful girl when she graduated Hogwarts. Her grades were the top in her class. She dreamed of a career as an Unspeakable doing human and other magical creature experimenting with newly developed spells and potions. Though not quite in her sadistic prime, she was on her way.

Although she had overheard about her dream position at the ministry from an associate of her father's, she found that getting her foot in the door, even with her superior pureblood status, was impossible. She didn't give much thought about men either, she preferred the solitude of her own mind, or chaos depending on the day.

"There is no such position," they told her pompously and sent her away.

She didn't need the money or compensation but back then she wanted it. What she really wanted was to matter, to contribute in some way.

She had lost hope for a few years after her graduation. It wasn't until a year after Narcissa had graduated and married that Malfoy boy that she felt the need to do something with her life. She picked up where she left off on here search. After another trip to the ministry, she decided to confide her plans and wishes in her sister, Narcissa.

"Can I come through?" Bellatrix asked from the floo connection. Narcissa was sitting in a uncomfortable looking chair that was at the fire. She looked even more stony since she married that Malfoy. Narcissa had no desire to take on a career. It was her ambition to live her life in the upper wizarding society and nothing else.

"If you must."

Bellatrix seemed to rise up out of the fire as she entered Malfoy Manor. Her sister smirked at her dramatic entrance. Everyone else tended to fall out of fireplaces.

For a moment Bellatrix noticed her sister almost relax, but Narcissa wouldn't. That was a large reason why she didn't want to marry. She didn't want the stiffness that seemed to accompany marrying into the elite world that came with it, not that she _ever _consider marrying anything less. Mudbloods were beneath her, that was what she was taught. That's the way it was. That is the way it is.

"You can relax with me," she tried, thinking of the sister that, not too long ago, would flounce into her room and tell her about inane girlish things. Narcissa only nodded towards the chair that flanked hers.

Bellatrix sighed and sat. She resisted the urge to curl her legs under her. Obviously, Narcissa was playing house today.

"I feel so restless! I went to the ministry today and sought out Mr. Taylor, you know, the one I was tell you about that was speaking with Father. He directed to me to the lower levels, he even gave me the pass codes to get there and you know what that pompous man down there told me? Ugh, he was so ugly, he obviously had mud running though his veins. Anyway, he said," here she puffed up her chest and lowered her voice, "'there's no such position.'" She laughed a humorless laugh and said, "Jerk."

"Compose yourself," her sister admonished sternly, "There will be a house elf coming any minute now, it wouldn't do to let them see you in a fit. It will make me look bad. And are you a Slytherin or not? Do you not have any sense of stealth? You just marched in the Ministry of Magic and inquired about a job where you are free to torture people all day. I ought to have one of these elves around here knit you a maroon and gold scarf for Christmas."

"It's lucky that I am a witch and can just switch the colors."

"It is not 'lucky' that you a witch, it is destined. Mudbloods are lucky to have the privilege of entering our world. Someday, they wont have that privilege."

Bellatrix looked at her sister strangely, noting that she seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into this life of pureblooded superiority.

"Indeed," she agreed. She left shortly after with no more answers than when she came.

O~~~~~O

It wasn't more than a week before her sister contacted her. A raven came bearing a short message is Narcissa's handwriting.

_Be at the Manor after tea or else._

Or else. She snorted but prepared herself to go anyway. She put on her favorite fitted black robes, the ones with the deep purple velvet trim and apparated to a sandwich shop in Knockturn Alley. She would have a bite to eat there before seeing what her sister wanted. She ordered her usual and sat down to eat it.

Across the restaurant, she could see two people that had graduated a few years before her, they didn't take notice to her and she wasn't bothered by it. She ate her meal and drunk her juice that she ordered slowly, waiting for it to be an appropriate time to go. She was a little nervous. '_Or else,' _the note had said. It rang in her mind ominously. She had a bad feeling but it was faint enough to ignore, so she did. At a quarter to six, she go up and strode out of the restaurant into there where she apparated without looking for a 'nice spot' like one might do in Diagon Alley.

Bellatrix looked around at the large garden with the white roses blooming everywhere and decided in her mind that if she were to marry, she'd like a nice rose garden, too. She reached out and squeezed a stem hard, feeling how the thorns imbedded themselves in her palm and fingers and then the stinging heat as they slipped out of their new holes in her skin when she loosened her grip. She looked down at her punctured hand with amusement, smiling for the first time that day, before casting a healing charm. She herself was the only person she would cast one on, everyone else could suffer. She cleaned the rose stem with a spell so the blood couldn't be collected at a later time and used for spells or potions involving blood magic.

Bellatrix stopped dallying after that and made her way quickly to the front door and was let in by a house elf.

"I is Trollie, I is to specifically look after Miss Bellatrix," she heard the house elf declare, but she mostly ignored the short elf that wore a light green towel as a toga style dress. "Mrs. Malfoy is in the sitting room, Miss Bellatrix will follow Trollie!"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and walked off in the direction she planned on going in the first place… which so happened to be where the little elf was trying to lead her.

"Leave me," she told Trollie after she almost tripped over her towel in front of her. This was why the vermin were enslaved, they couldn't even keep a towel in place long enough to go from one room to the next, they wouldn't survive on their own. They were stupid.

"Bella, you're right on time!" Narcissa exclaimed, taking her by surprise with her uncharacteristic enthusiasm… Wait, was she nervous? Bellatrix tried hard to keep a neutral expression on her face.

"Right after tea," she added cheekily, "_or else_." She couldn't help but let out a single 'ha'.

"SHHHH! Sister, you are being watched, evaluated. Please do not joke at a time like this." Narcissa's breathing was ragged, but only because Bellatrix knew her sister so well did she let her guard down enough for her to notice.

She followed her sister further into the room where the chairs that she had sat in a week ago had been moved so that they faced a mirror. She decided not to say anything.

"I have a solution for you," Narcissa said after they had situated themselves in the chairs. "A solution about your career ambitions."

Bellatrix noticed for the first time that that woman sitting across from her looked, scared, ashamed, and apologetic. She was sure she was the only person that would ever read those things from her. Bella glanced at the mirror warily.

"The Dark Lord wishes to recruit you." Narcissa waited for her sister to respond but she couldn't. Bella was shocked and suddenly aware, so aware that the Dark Lord himself was watching her through this mirror. How deep of a breath could she take without it being noticeable?

"Go on," she said although that wasn't what she wanted to say. True, she believed the wizarding world would be better with purebloods in their rightful place but at the time, she didn't want to be on the frontlines of the battle. And not until that moment did she fully realise that her sister already was, at least in this moment.

"As you may know, the Dark Lord creates many of his own spells," she said almost reverently, "but he does not have the time to test them and tweak them. He is offering that position to you. You would be foolish to turn him down."

It _was_ what she wanted, she argued to herself. She wouldn't be on the 'frontlines' as she herself put it and she _would_ be giving those who were fighting for the Dark Lord an edge. The idea was starting to have merit in her mind. Still whatever doubt or misgiving she might have would have to be suppressed, Bellatrix knew there was a chance Narcissa would suffer if she didn't accept.

"I would like to speak with the Dark Lord."

She was only answered with a small, stifled gasp. Bellatrix didn't notice the man walking into the room at first. He was tall with dark hair, handsome features and bright blue grey eyes. He didn't yet look like the reptilian husk of a man he would become after being reborn with a horcrux. When Bella did notice him, she immediately noticed the commanding presence and the magic that seemed to swirl around him, controlled, waiting to be unleashed.

"Miss Black," the Dark Lord said in acknowledgement. "Narcissa, I would like a moment alone."

For her part, Narcissa made herself scarce _very _quickly.

When Voldemort and Bellatrix were alone, he spoke. "There are two ways of convince someone of something. You can ask nicely," he sneered, "or you can torture. I don't often make practice of using the former tactic. I will say this once," he intoned slowly. "You will take the position I have offered or we will revisit the second tactic. You will be compensated, yes, I know what you want. You want to matter. I will give you something that will make you matter."

She dared to ask, "What did you have in mind?"

"When the time comes you will know. It is the opportunity of a lifetime."

"My Lord?"

"Ah ah, Miss Black. You will learn not to question me or you will find yourself on the business end of a curse that will leave you barely breathing."

He strode from the room after that, leaving Bellatrix to her thoughts. She sat on the chair again, this time with care of someone whose mind was not in the here and now. How was it a week ago she looking at getting a job at the Ministry and today she was as good as inducted as a Death Eater? She realised that she wasn't all that upset about it like she imagined that she would be but it didn't mean she wasn't flabbergasted by it all.

"Come with me to my room, Bella," she heard a soft voice say from the doorway. She turned around only to see sister looking pale. She followed her as requested.

There was a night and day difference between the woman that greeted her when she arrived a week ago and the woman she met in these private chambers.

Narcissa flung herself at her sister, "Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't know Lucius would tell the Dark Lord! I didn't want that for you! It's a good cause, but he's a cruel man. I'm afraid I will have to be initiated and take the Dark Mark soon. Lucius told me some women don't make it through. Oh, I don't want that for you!" She wailed again.

"Narcissa!" Bellatrix said firmly, it was her turn to keep her composure. "Get a hold of yourself!" She almost slapped her face. "I will be fine, you will be fine. We all have our places in life and if this is mine, I'm not going to sit and be hysterical about it and neither are you. You wanted to marry a Malfoy and you did. I wanted to further the advancements in magic in my own way and now I will have the opportunity. Now dry your eyes and get yourself together! Has the Dark Lord even left?" She added.

"Yes." Narcissa cleared her throat after a minute and took a deep breath. "Indeed," she said, her stony features were back in place. "Silly me. I just needed a moment and it's over now. Would you like some tea before you go?"

"No, thank you." She wanted to be out of the Manor as quickly as possible.

"Alright then, Lucius will be in contact with you and let you know when the Dark Lord will be holding his next initiation. Trollie!"

"Yes, Ma'am?" The elf curtsied low.

"Please show Bella out, I need to rest."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

**O~~~~~O**

**Thanks for taking a chance on my story and I hope you'll add it to your alerts list. Did you know that you can only review a chapter once? Make it a good one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

O~~~~~O

Bellatrix found herself in a room with two other women. She was told that she was to show up at the initiation in her outer robes only, that she was to be completely bare underneath. She assumed the other two women were told the same thing. The words that her sister spoke in her outburst rang through her mind. _"He's a cruel man." _She had come expecting nothing less. She warred between a feeling of knowing she didn't have a choice and being okay with the choice anyway. She expected the worst. She expected to be tortured, raped, humiliated, and forced to kill to prove her worthiness. From the looks on the other women in the room, they expected that, too. The women were led out of the room individually and the room was not silenced. Bellatrix and one remaining woman could hear the screams, shrieks, pleas, and a sick gurgling sounds. The other woman was led from the room about half and hour later and the violent sounds of various torture began again. It would have been so easy to fall apart then, to just beg not to go and fight it. She knew that they would do it anyway, and she held onto her dignity like a lifeline.

When a masked and hooded figure came and retrieved her and led her out, she followed with her head held high. The were a few dozen men standing around in a large round room with black and white marble floors and black marble columns. There was a regal looking chair, a throne she supposed, sitting centered on a dais that was at the focal point of the room. She was brought to stand in front of it.

The Dark Lord stood. "My friends, my loyal followers, I am pleased to announce a different kind of initiation tonight for Miss Bellatrix Black. Tonight she will prove her worthiness but placing her absolute trust in me.

"Sometime I think it is easy for people to perform one act to prove their loyalty. Maybe," he postured, "they think they will 'get through it', that the pain will go away." He smiled darkly. "I know what goes through the minds of every single one of you. It would do you well to keep that in mind," he added.

He walked across his platform, making at a point to look into the eyes of his loyal men as he passed them.

"So I have another way that I want to test our dear Miss Black tonight." He stepped from his dais down the three steps and walked slowly but dramatically up to Bellatrix. He placed a finger under her chin and pulled her face up so that he was looking into her eyes.

"Don't. Lie. To. Me," he warned her quietly and then spoke to her loudly enough that the room could hear. "Do you trust me?" Was the only question he asked.

"Yes," she answered him. She answer truthfully, she trusted him to do a lot of things. Get up, have breakfast, put mudbloods in their place.

"You misunderstand, I am not playing mind games with you. Although it's nice to know that you have _faith_ in me. You just need to learn proper semantics."

She could hear a soft round of laughter from behind her.

"I'll ask again." He never looked away from her eyes. "Do you trust me, do you trust me to make a decision for you? A life altering decision for you."

She took a deep breath in and thought, _do right by me and I will,_ but she said, "Yes." She knew that he heard it all.

"Well, my dear Miss Black, I have made a decision for you. A life altering decision, an irreversible decision. I'll give you a choice. You can take that or you can have your boring initiation, though you may end up like the second inductee of the night. Dead."

Of course he wouldn't tell her his whole plan. Then he asked the trick question, he apparently wanted his way badly. "So the question is, will you place your trust in me, or will you place your trust in my men?"

There was only one right answer, "I'll trust you, my Lord."

"Very well. Very well indeed. Tonight," he said grandly, "we will have a wedding!"

Bellatrix looked at the man who was twenty-five years her senior and blanched. Apparently, he hadn't looked away from her eyes. He chuckled.

"Not me, my dear, I don't have time for trivial things like keeping a wife." She tried very hard to keep from sighing in relief and, if she was honest with herself, disappointment and succeeded. "Now run along, you have to get ready."

She was escorted from the room by a masked woman to a set of rooms where there was a bath drawn, and robes already picked out. She wondered who else might have had the privilege of knowing the Dark Lord's plans tonight.

"He didn't even say who I would be m-marrying," she said shakily. She could practically her Narcissa's voice in her mind instructing her to compose herself.

"Honey, I don't think anyone but the Dark Lord himself knows who you'll marry," the woman replied in a no nonsense voice. "Your intended is most likely only just now being informed. He will be one of the Dark Lord's most loyal followers."

It went without saying that he would be a pureblood from a rich, upstanding family in the wizarding world.

"Now, you get yourself ready, your sister will be in as soon as she is informed."

As the woman left, Bellatrix wondered who she was. Her voice held a note of age and wisdom. She was obviously one of the Dark Lord's most trusted, given her knowledge of the nights events. She was probably the one that picked out her wedding robes.

She took her robes off so that she could get into the tub that was already filled with vanilla scented water. One thing was for sure, this was not how she envisioned her night. She didn't imagine that taking a bath that night that she would be in such shape.

It only seemed a few moments had passed when she heard the woman from before say, "Out you get! The show must go on!" She chuckled to herself. "Mrs. Malfoy is waiting outside in the bedroom, oh and dear, I've just been informed. You are to leave your hair down, that's the way the Dark Lord likes it. Vanilla is his favorite, too," she added.

"What's you name?" Bella finally asked but the woman never had a chance to answer; Narcissa had burst through the bathroom door but composed herself quickly when she noticed the older woman in the room.

"Bellatrix Jean Black! Do you even know who you'll be marrying?" She didn't say anything other than that, she would know better than to question the Dark Lord, especially in his own home."Cissy, it will be fine and if it's not," she allowed herself to smile for the first time that night, "I'll use him for my experiments." She closed her eyes for a minute and let a calm wash over her that so desperately tried to portray. When she thought about it, she found it was a little freeing to just let go and just put her trust in someone else decisions."That's the spirit," the older woman chimed in. "Now, on to the dress that the Dark Lord had made for you."

Bella dressed in the cream colored robes with a sweetheart neckline with corseted ties in the back. It had long, wide bell sleeves with black trim that went around the cuffs of the sleeves and bell of the skirting. It was the perfect juxtaposition of regal and hardened.

"And finally my dear, you are to wear this," the older woman said and held up a necklace with a silver or platinum chain. She place the necklace around Bellatrix's neck and then allowed her to inspect the large teardrop shaped gemstone pendant.

"It's Alexandrite. It's rare and the Dark Lord loves it. You see it is purple in this lighting, but in the daylight it turns green. It is yours now."

Bellatrix let the pendant fall to her chest and looked to her sister who was positively pale at that point. Bella pointed her wand at the stone to match the purplish color and then directed it to Narcissa's robes, turning them the precise color of her Alexandrite pendant. She didn't even scoff.

"Cissy, this is our life. It's best to get on with it." When did her sister become a quivering mess of fear? She hardly recognised her tonight.

Together, they all left the room and stood in an antechamber until another man poked his head out and told them that they were ready. Narcissa and the woman walked through the doors first, down an aisle that was not there when they left an hour ago. Finally, when she saw that they reached the dais where the Dark Lord and another man, her intended, stood. She still couldn't see his face.

She began her slow march to the where the men stood. All the Death Eaters that stood in the room before were gone except a dozen who she presumed were the Inner Circle. Narcissa was standing with Lucius and the woman was now standing with an older man, they were probably among the firsts to take the Dark Mark.

When she finally reached her destination, she allowed to look at the man she would be bound to for life. It was Rodolphus Lestrange. He was younger than her but still older than Narcissa. She vaguely remembered him from school.

"I'm glad to see you've put your faith in me tonight and that you accept the match that I have made for you. Two years ago I asked Rodolphus the same question for his initiation. He said he trusted me above all others, he said he was faithful to me above all others and that my will would be his own. It is my will tonight to marry the two of you, and Rodolphus did not give it a second thought. It should be the aspiration of every person in this room to be as loyal as him. Bellatrix, it is a great honor that I am willing to bind you to my most loyal Death Eater. Rodolphus, one day you will see what a great honor is it to be wedded to Bellatrix. In time you will all see, you will all see my will being carried out."

For a moment she wondered what he saw in her.

"First, you will receive the Dark Mark. Kneel and hold out your left arm," he instructed.

She closed her eyes and waited for the pain to start. She always heard stories of the pain of taking the Mark being to the point of unbearable. She waited but nothing came.

"Rise, Dearest, you are now one of us."

She blinked and looked at the tattoo that undulated under her skin and she noticed that he still had a hold on her arm at her wrist. Slowly, he turned her hand over and placed it in Rodolphus' waiting hand. He pressed their hands together so that their fingers were intertwined and then placed his own hand on top of them.

"Your servitude to me is the defining feature of your life. Binding yourselves to one another is an extension of my will.

"Do you, Rodolphus Antares, take Bellatrix Jean to be your wife, to care for her so that she is able to fulfill my purposes as we discussed. To watch over her and to keep harm from coming to her until my will has been carried out?"

"I do, my Lord," Rodolphus replied in a strong voice.

"Do you, Bellatrix Jean, take Rodolphus Antares to be your husband, to stand by his side as he serves me? To watch over him and to keep harm from coming to him until my will has been carried out?"

"I do, my Lord," she said.

"Then I declare you bonded for life."

The Dark Lord conjured two rings that floated to their respected fingers and slid on with ease.

"You may kiss your bride," he said to Rodolphus. Bellatrix looked at him for, it seemed, the first time that night because it felt that this was the first time she saw him. He had dark hair and dark brown eyes with prominent eyebrows and strong cheekbones.

He reached out to her and placed his hand at her waist and drew her to him but he only placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. At least there was no false intimacy.

When the ceremony was finally over, Bellatrix had a feeling that she was more bound to the Dark Lord and that her binding to Rodolphus were a mere afterthought, something on the side that would not hold on its own.

O~~~~~O

It had been two years since Rodolphus joined the Dark Lord, two proud years. He couldn't wait to get away from his father who said these 'sort of battles' were better fought in the Wizengamet. _Oh yeah, Father, is that why men like Dumbledore still ran rampant with their teachings and why I was sorted right along with Mudbloods? _At least the proud house he was sorted into didn't accept that sort of scum. By the time his graduation day came, he was ready to put them in their place… Out of his world. If he had to kill them, he would.

His mother couldn't be more proud, she introduced him to the Dark Lord herself. Ruby Lestrange went to school with the him and still had a tendency to call him Tom when no one was looking.

He dressed that night with his usual care and reverence he used anytime he wore his Lord's robes. Only when he finished buckling his knee-high boots that tended to keep the blood out of his socks did he place his mask over his face that set him apart from the others. Being in the inner circle and being counted among the Dark Lord's most loyal afforded him the privilege of anonymity. Not that he wanted it. When the laws changed and the Dark Lord had total power, he would be the first to rip off his mask and prove who was loyal first.

That night they were inducting one man and three women. No one knew who the third women would be. Well, it was apparent that Malfoy knew from how smug he was acting. What he wouldn't give to torture that man for being so pompous, and he'd seriously consider it if Malfoy wasn't so loyal.

He looked down at his dick. He could never get it up except for in the morning when he was full of piss. Not that _he_ wanted to, but on a night like that night he felt like he was six inches from obvious that he couldn't. Only the Dark Lord knew of his _problem_. Regardless, the group had their fun with the first man and first two women casting hexing that would kill in the right combination and humiliating them to test their loyalty. He was the one that threw the blood boiling hex that proved to be too much for whoever that second woman was. Obviously she was disloyal and at the very least unworthy.

Rodolphus couldn't have been more surprised when Bellatrix Black walked in last that night. The first thought he had was that she was so cool. When he was in school, she ran the place. Her blood was pure and everyone knew it, she was wicked smart and that, everyone knew, too. She was an excellent duelist and he often wondered what dark magic she knew, but wasn't allowed to use under the watchful eye of Albus Dumbledore. He could just picture her with a stack of books around her with a huge one under her nose. She was the one in the common room getting on to everyone about study for this exam or that. He couldn't help but laugh when she threatened to make everyone color coded study schedules.

"I will personally torture any one of you that receives worse marks than some Gryffindor mudblood or blood traitor." She was glorious.

Her initiation was so different, only reminding his of his own only much less violent. Only after his face and chest were badly burned and his left arm was dangling from its socket did the Dark Lord ask him if he would place his implicit trust in him. The answer was still an obvious yes and he was proud to say so.

The room was quiet as he watched his mother escort Bella out of the room. Any other gathering would erupt into murmurs the minute they left but not this one. The Dark Lord wouldn't stand for that sort of idle gossip.

"All those that have not proven themselves worthy enough to be among my inner circle are dismissed."

It only took a handful of minutes for the room to clear out save the inner circle. They might be loyal, but they weren't about to stick around in case the Dark Lord's temperament turned foul. That's exactly what Rodolphus feared for when he heard his named called. He followed his leader as he strode from the room to a private chamber on the side. He wondered if he would be punished for killing the second woman.

"I remember a time when I asked you if you trusted me, and I recall you saying yes."

"Yes, my Lord. Of course."

"I need a husband for Miss Black and I want you to fill that role."

His eyes bugged out, there was no schooling of his features that he had been taught from an early age. "But my Lord," he spluttered, "I could never be a proper husband for anyone, you know that. You know about me, being a husband would require the desire and ability to-"

"The ability to protect," the Dark Lord interrupted. "Crucio," he said lazily but scornfully.

The feeling of fire and ice and razors and acid consumed his every nerve ending. Thankfully, it was over quickly.

"I asked you to trust me! Do you not think there is a reason I would pick you? You especially. Miss Black is mine. No man will touch her but me, not even you, but as I told her, I don't have time for trivial things like keeping a wife. Consider it your greatest mission to protect her for me. You will be supportive of her in every way, you will kill any man without question that threatens to touch. I have another… benefit to offer to you."

Rodolphus openly stared at the Dark Lord, was he being… generous. He was basically offering him his own wife to 'keep after'.

"More?"

"I am offering to exclude you from any sexual part of the revels to help you keep your _abnormality_ to yourself. My child, I know it is something you fear people don't understand."

He bowed his head. He would have said yes without question if he had as much trust as he professed. He felt ashamed.

"Forgive me, my Lord." He knelt to his knees. "It would be a great honor to marry Bellatrix, if that is your wish."

Rodolphus so badly wanted to ask why he wanted her. He should have known, he should have realised the Dark Lord was in his mind still testing him.

"She will give me an heir."

"Does she know? Is she to know?"

"Not yet. I will tell her when the time is right. When she has earned the honor of being the mother of the heir of Lord Voldemort and the heir of the great Salazar Slytherin, she will learn of my will."

Suddenly, Rodolphus was nervous. "What will happen tonight? Our Wedding Night?"

"You will explain to her the truth, everything but the last part. Just think of this as an opportunity to become friends with a woman you admire so.

"I saw her first in your mind. When Ruby first introduced you to me and I probed your thoughts for your sincerity. It's part of why I considered you for this assignment, I know that you respect her and think highly of her. I waited for her to come to me on her own because I knew that she would be formidable. She will be. Rise, you have a bonding ceremony to prepare for."

With that the Dark Lord left the room and a bewildered man behind. If Voldemort was truthful with himself, he enjoyed doing that to people. It was probably the only upset to his occasional generosity. If he were a man to laugh, he would have laughed that even a man that he considered most loyal to him believed him too cruel for generosity. Enough that he was left stunned.

He swept into his own private room to collect something he wanted to present to Miss Black. He reached into a safe that held some of the trinkets he collected over time and pulled out the one thing he was looking for: the Alexandrite necklace. Funnily enough, it did not have a _whole_ lot of sentimental value to him, he simply wanted it. He watched a woman walk from shop to shop and was fascinated how the color of the necklace flickered between green and purple as she walked through the occasional shadow. He killed the muggle woman that wore it without a second thought. He was, after all, a collector.

_Knock, knock, knock._

No one but Ruby had ever dared to knock on his door. Anyone but Ruby would be dead when he answered it. He opened the door and stepped aside so that she could come in.

"Tom, I like to see that you're keeping the younger kids on their toes."

He scowled at her.

"You don't think I can keep you on your toes, Ruby?" He didn't wait for her to respond. "How are your future daughter-in-law's wedding preparations going?"

She was good, she didn't look a bit ruffled when she replied, "My future daughter-in-law or the future mother of you heir." She smile and you could hear the laughter in her voice, "Ah, Tommie, whose on their toes now? You really picked my sweet Ruddy to marry her?"

"Your sweet Ruddy? Have you seen him give out punishment to the mudbloods that are all too deserving? He will be a good match for her." He smiled, too. His teeth were still relatively straight and not yet pointed.

"And to answer your question, my daughter-in-law- oh, I like saying it- is bathing. Vanilla, your favorite, of course. I should probably get back to her. Her sister is here now, she needs to settle down. Malfoy has much to learn about keeping his young wife in order."

"Give her this," he handed her the necklace, "and instruct her to keep her hair down."

"As you wish, my Lord."

As he watched her go, he shook his head. She was probably the only person he ever considered a true friend. Although he knew he could never hide anything from her for long, he knew that for tonight, at least, he knew all the secrets. He reveled in the omniscience.

O~~~~~O

"Then I declare you bonded for life."

Lord Voldemort completed the ceremony and watched Rodolphus kiss Bellatrix. He wondered if he kissed her like that out of fear of him or because any more touching would make him uncomfortable.

"Run along. You two have much to _discuss_," he said, fighting hard to keep the hissing lisp out of his voice that seemed to be cropping up lately after his most recent magical transformation. He liked that he was alluding to a typical wedding night, while nothing could be more true than his actual statement.

"For the rest of you, there is punishment to hand out. Think closely, what have you done?" Lord Voldemort asked slowly. He was aware of the woman standing near him that had not taken the Mark. Narcissa Malfoy was in for a show. As it was, she looked uncomfortable was visible in seeking out her husband. Lord Voldemort watched Malfoy as he stood there arrogantly. He waited until all the gazes fell where his was and then with humor, he watched until Malfoy realised it. That had to be among his favorite things; that squirm.

Knowing his place, Malfoy walked to the center on the room.

"Look at that, we have a volunteer!" He said theatrically. "My friends, I have a special lesson planned tonight. A lesson in responsibility."

Malfoy, although scared, still had an air of arrogance and superiority. Lord Voldemort planned to wipe that smirk off his face for tonight.

"Did you enjoy our little impromptu wedding?"

"Oh course, my Lord!" He looked like he wanted to kneel simply out of fear but his pride wouldn't let him. Not yet.

"If it had been more _traditional_, would you have had any objections if I had asked?"

"Of course not, my Lord!"

"Can you think of someone who might have protested? Someone who might not have complete faith in my decision?"

Malfoy was silent.

"No one?" Lord Voldemort prompted. "Think hard, Mr. Malfoy. Is there someone here that you would take responsibility for? That you should have, but clearly, you haven't."

Narcissa paled. It wouldn't be long now, Lord Voldemort mused.

"You wife was skeptical of my plans. Mr. Malfoy, is that an extension of your own skepticism?" He knew it wasn't necessarily true but he enjoyed making him squirm. He used legilimency to enter Malfoy's thoughts.

_I'm going to beat the fuck out of the cunt, this is not worth her father's gold_, he was thinking, but his face was stoic.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you accept responsibility for you wife?"

"Of course!" These saps were so easy sometimes.

"And do you take responsibility for the punishment that you would like to give her tonight?" He met Lucius Malfoy's confused glare. "Of course you do," brushing him off, he answered for him, he was making a political play. He was gaining Narcissa's gratitude by not allowing her husband to punish her. "I respect power, not men, not women: power. Narcissa has power over you. You would do well to figure out how to get her power on your side, not against you," he advised.

The punishment came swiftly, but it was anything but quick. After the Dark Lord had his fill, the remainder of his punishment was passed off to the rest of the Death Eaters to have a shot with the only instruction being to leave him alive.

Narcissa Malfoy watched her husband writhed on that marble floor with blood running out of his mouth, nose, and ears. She remembered what the Dark Lord said, that he was taking her punishment was well. Did that mean he would find it within his right _to _punish her, if not today because of the Dark Lord's wishes, than someday soon?

She grew up thinking what she was taught. Those with pureblood were superior, she felt much the same about house elves and other magical creatures as her sister did. She knew of Lord Voldemort and her parents were sympathetic to his cause but she didn't know of anyone that had actually joined him. Not that she would have known anyway. As much as she herself sympathised with the cause because that's what she was taught, she had other interests. Marrying a wealthy man, being put up and never working a day in her life were among them. She dreamed of a life of social get-togethers, hosting tea and chatting with other like-minded women. If she had been looking for the signs, she might have realised that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater when she married him, but the glamour of it all clouded her vision. Again, much like her older sister's views, she knew it was a good cause, she just didn't want to have to do any of the dirty work. For the most part, she turned a blind eye to Lucius' less savory activities. Ignorance was bliss until that night. That night that she found herself in the middle of a Death Eater meeting watching her new husband getting tortured because of her actions. She had a feeling that things in her world were going to change, and soon. Her only hope at that moment was that her older sister was going to be alright.

**O~~~~~O**

**Thanks for taking the time to read this, I'm surprised at the response so far and am posting a chapter early. You guys are a bunch of sadists. One last thing, don't forget to set your story alerts so you can find out what Bellatrix and Rodolphus get up to on their wedding night!**

**Good Reviews=Inspiration!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**O~~~~~O**

After the meeting, Bellatrix and her new husband adjourned to the room that she had bathed and prepared to marry in. Trollie had popped in to direct them to the room.

"This is the now Mistress' room, Master says she is to stay here from now on." Mistress? Bellatrix thought the elf had belonged to her sister, but when she thought back, she never referred to Narcissa as anything but ma'am or Mrs. Malfoy.

"You're my elf now?" Bellatrix asked as they were let into the room.

"Trollie is the Dark Lord's elf first and always, but he says that I is to look after Miss Bellatrix and she, you are my Mistress now, too. He said looking after the Mistress is my number one priority, so here Trollie is!"

She hopped up on the bed and fluffed the pillows then snapped her fingers and jumped off the bed. She caught the stack of towels that materialised as she landed and scurried off the bathroom.

"If you need anything Mistress," Trollie said when she was finished in the room, "just call my name!"

"I know how to summon a house elf," Bellatrix grumbled but she was already gone.

Meanwhile, Rodolphus had pulled his mask off his face and hung it on a knob on the wall next to another mask and set of robes that belonged to Bellatrix now. He was pulling his robes off when Bella noticed him.

"Oh no."

"Don't worry, I have on trousers underneath."

"Alright, let's get one thing straight. I don't love you and the only reason I'd have sex with you right now is to make our marriage legitimate. Otherwise, I'm not having sex with you, understood?"

Rodolphus threw his hands up in surrender, "Hold on just a minute. You don't have to worry about any of that with me."

She considered him as he sat on the bed and began unlacing his boots. "What on _earth_ do you mean by that?" She demanded.

He didn't answer until he had both his boots off. He seemed to be slowing down so as to put it off. He took a deep breath and seemed reluctant.

"Look, I've never had sex with anyone and I have no intention to change that now."

She leaned against the posts of the bed and took in his words. If the only man in this world she was technically allowed to have sex with was celibate for some reason, then how was she supposed to meet her needs?

"Why would the Dark Lord put me with you if we can't even have a real marriage." Sex was something that she didn't even want before, she now felt robbed of it.

"It's not your place to question the Dark Lord!" Rudolphus stood and shouted. She looked at her new husband and wondered if he would try to hurt her. He'd have something coming to him, she wasn't one to be messed with.

"Tell me something, Lestrange. Why wont you have sex with anyone? How is it you've managed not to? The goings-on of the Dark Lord's revels are not that secret."

"My reasons are personal. The Dark Lord knows them and accepts them, that should be enough."

"Are you gay?" She persisted.

He looked like he was thinking about it for a minute.

"Oh my goodness, you are!" Her voice was triumphant as she jumped up and pointed at him.

He shook his head, "No, that's not it."

"Erectile Dysfunction?" She offered. "You know they have potions for that right?"

"That's not it either. Not that it matters anyway."

She huffed and kicked off from the bed post. "Just come out with it, Lestrange. Whatever the hell is going on, it's not like I'm not going to figure it out anyway. Now, out with it!"

"I'm… I'm asexual."

She was dumbfounded. Only her pureblooded upbringing kept her from gaping at him at that moment. "What! Wait, and the Dark Lord knows?" She clarified.

"He refers to it as my 'problem' but I don't think it's a problem at all. People get stupid when it comes to sex and luckily, I've never had any sort of sexual feelings for anyone, male or female."

"So why did you agree to marry me?"

"Because the Dark Lord told me to, I don't need another reason."

She raised an eyebrow and he kept going.

"I don't know, companionship? I never thought I'd ever get married. Physical intimacy freaks me out, and no other person would ever settle for anything less." His voice was hard before but it had softened and less defensive.

"What makes you think I would _settle _for that?"

"It's not your choice to make. That Dark Lord has plans and when he informed me of them, I gratefully and happily took my place beside you."

"So…"

"I feel like a fucking house elf saying this, but your safety is my number one priority," he admitted.

"Why does he feel that I need protection so much?"

"That is the Dark Lord's business until he sees fit to share it with you."

Feeling that the subject was closed for now she said, "I wasn't expecting to get married tonight."

He only snorted. "Alright, how about we try to be friends, after all, we are bonded for life. You go first, tell me a secret."

"I dye my hair black."

"No, a real secret. Like this: I never really had close friends because I was afraid they would touch me."

She was quiet to a minute, thinking of a harmless secret. She didn't remind him that he had already let her in on his biggest secret, so she admitted, "I had a crush on the Dark Lord growing up."

Her new friend was unable to hide the grin that bloomed on his face.

**O~~~~~O**

And so a strange routine began.

During the day she would work on the spells that the Dark Lord gave her. He was pleased with her work and made it a point to praise her in front of others. She heard the other Death Eaters whispering things about her but she ignored them and went about her own business.

At night, she and Rodolphus would meet in her rooms and their friendship grew. Their friendship was founded on the freedom to tell each other their secrets. It was so unexpected the way they got on so well, their faith in the Dark Lord was strengthened because he was the one to put them together. That was something else they shared, their loyalty to the cause.

As far as Bellatrix Lestrange was concerned, life was good and it only turned for the better.

This routine of spells work, growing favor from the Dark Lord and a growing friendship with Rodolphus went on for five years.

During that time it became apparent that no-one was allowed to hurt her, what with a body guard of a husband going behind her killing men and women indiscriminately who would even touch her. He was only following orders. Others were envious of her, in comparison to the majority of Death Eaters, she was never on the receiving end of punishment.

But she never did anything to deserve punishment either. She always had her work completed on time, if not ahead of schedule and no one could question her loyalty.

Lucius Malfoy may have been the image the Dark Lord like to portray to the world as his ideal follower, from the inside, everyone knew that Rodolphus and Bellatrix were his poster-children of perfection.

It was late 1978 when Bella finished for the day and had retired to her rooms and was waiting for Rodolphus when the Dark Lord entered her room instead. He never came to her room before she was always summoned to the throne room if he wanted to see her.

"Hello my dear," he greeted her.

She curtsied and replied, "My Lord."

"How have you enjoyed the last couple of years here?"

She wasn't sure if she should ask him to sit but he ended up taking her by the hand and leading her over to her sitting area where he sat in her chair and he directed her to sit on the ottoman in front of him. She sat Indian style with her robes draped over her legs and answered his earlier question.

"Honestly, it's been better than I ever dreamed. Rodolphus and his family have been good to me. You've been good to me. I feel like what I do here really matters."

"It does. I have decided that now is the time to give you your compensation that we agreed on five years ago. When I first learned of you, I knew I wanted you for something important to me. I needed a woman who could defend herself, who was resourceful, and cunning, a woman who was dedicated and meticulous. I needed a strong, loyal, intelligent woman to give me an heir. That's what I hoped to find in you. Those are the things I hope you will pass on to my heir. As the mother of my heir, you will be at a place of high regard when I finally have control of the wizarding world."

Bellatrix was thrilled at the 'compensation' he offered her. If he would have told her that back then she might not have been so thrilled because she was young and not ready. By now though, years had passed and a teenage crush had evolved into devotion and love.

"You want _me_?" Was the only thing she managed to say.

"I want you to make me an heir," he clarified, but that didn't matter to her. The Dark Lord picked _her_.

"Tomorrow you will pick up the fertility potion from Severus Snape as I do not wish to wait any longer than necessary to have my heir."

"That scrawny young kid walking around here?"

"What can I say?" The Dark Lord answered candidly, "He's good with the potions. He'll be finishing up his apprenticeship soon. He is power hunger," he confided in her.

"Is Rodolphus off doing your bidding tonight?" She asked as a way to find out were he was.

"He does my bidding with every breath he takes. Don't worry, though. he will be home before the sun is up." He stood and made his way out of the room. "Goodnight."

**O~~~~~O**

Lord Voldemort left Bellatrix's rooms sooner than he planned to. He felt the glamour that he wore constantly now slipping and he was too tired to keep it up. No one except one loyal follower knew of the state of his appearances. His skin was thinning and held a translucent quality to it now. His teeth were starting to become more fang-like, and the lisp that he fought so hard to hide years ago was becoming more and more apparent. Still, he felt the changes he made were necessary in his search for immortality. He wore glamours to mask the blue vein that were visible now behind his skin.

One of his newest recruits, Severus Snape, was now entrusted to make him a potion that helped with the respiratory issues. His throat was closing up and his nostrils thinned. He feared that his nose would completely flatten over time. Snape also brewed him a potion that helped keep his hair growing full and dark. It fell out so easily these days.

Voldemort compensated Snape with knowledge. That was what he wanted: knowledge and the power that came with it.

That night Voldemort almost stumbled to his room in weakness. Just that week he had undergone another transformation. He had created his fifth Horcrux. He found a chair and fell in it. He placed his wand at his left arm and thought of Severus and summoned. He viewed the talented eighteen year old man as someone who could one day hold a high position. He had already entrusted him the physical issues that he was having.

It wouldn't be long now until there came a knock at the door. He had his back turned away from the door when the knock came, he bid them to enter. He could feel the magical essence of Ruby as she escorted the young Severus Snape into his room.

"You may go now," he said, speaking to Ruby. He didn't speak again until he heard the door click. He took a breath and râling sounds were more prominent.

"Severus," he croaked, "come kneel."

Without word, the young man knelt in front on him with his head bowed.

"My Lord, I've brought you your potions." He took them out of a pocket in his robes and offered them to Voldemort.

His lungs wheezed and his breathing was ragged, he held on to as much dignity and slowly took them from Snape, although he felt like snatching them from him and chugging them. He slowly sipped them and waited for the effects to take.

"There are a few more that are not as urgent," Snape announced and then he pulled a few more vials out of another pocket. "Blood replenishing, rejuvenation, and one I've taken the liberty to create to help with maintaining the glamours with less magical effort."

He took the offered potions in the same manner as before and sipped at them leisurely. He set the third one aside to take in the morning.

"Thank you for you foresight tonight, Severus. I have another request of you. I need a potion for female fertility by the morning."

He watched Snape and waited for him to ask questions. He was still new enough that he might not have learned. Snape amazed him in that he was so hard to read. His mind when he entered was always focused solely on his current task. His thoughts never strayed or were traitorous, and never held curiosity and questions in his mind that a lesser man would ask. His devotion to Voldemort's cause pleased him and was ultimately why he trusted him even though he was so new.

Only once did Voldemort seem to catch him off guard, the image of a young auburn-haired girl with striking green eyes danced in his mind's eye for a mere second before it was gone and replaced with the thoughts of potions instructions.

"Anything, my Lord." he replied simply.

"You are dismissed," Lord Voldemort said. Snape stood and left, his robes had that billowing effect even at a young age. Voldemort felt a stab of pride at the formidable young man. He knew he'd be powerful one day.

He closed his eyes and rested, he didn't even move to the bed. He slept fitfully, he wasn't sure how much longer his body would allow him the luxury. When he finally had enough of trying it was about six in the morning. He decided to join Severus in the potions lab to check up on the potion.

He changed his robes and took the newly created potion that Severus made for him last night. No one was around to see so he drunk it quickly and left his room. He was pleased to see the few people that were about that early bowed their heads respectfully when he passed. There were no house elves in sight as requested, he didn't want to see the vermin.

When he entered the lab, he noticed that Severus must have been at a crucial point in the potion since he did not acknowledge him. He waited silently as he did not want to disturb the creation of this particular potion. At his earliest convenience, Severus dropped to the floor and bowed low.

"My Lord,"

"Rise, Severus. If you ruin that potion, it will be a painful experience for you." He rose and went back to stirring immediately. "I'm pleased with your work today, I would like to teach you something in return for your services."

"Serving you is reward enough," Snape said, although Voldemort knew better. He knew he craved the knowledge, the dark knowledge that he was never able to learn at Hogwarts. Severus was one of those that understood that knowledge and power went hand-in-hand while other Death Eaters thought that power and brutality, or power and money went hand-in-hand.

For the next few hours, Lord Voldemort instructed Snape on the finer points of creating a Horcrux until a knock has heard at the laboratory's door. Bellatrix entered.

When she noticed Voldemort in the room, she curtsied and continued. Lord Voldemort noticed that although Severus seemed to be busy counting stirs, he watched their interaction with fascination. She took liberties when all others would er on the side of caution.

"How did you sleep?"

She hesitated.

"Don't tell lies!"

"Not well, I worried." She glanced at Severus and wondered what he knew.

"Tell me, my dear. What part of _my_ plan did you worry about?" His tone was a warning. "What part of _my_ plan did you fear defective?"

She didn't know what the right answer was, there was no right answer. Honestly, she worried that the possibility she was infertile, she worried that she wouldn't be a good mother, she feared raising a child in this environment, she fear… she almost dared not to admit it to herself. She fear that the love of a child would soften the Dark Lord. She also worried about smaller things like baby names.

The Dark Lord chuckled, "Ah, Severus, people are so honest in their minds. They get so wrapped up in their thoughts that they don't even feel me entering them." He paused long enough to allow Bellatrix to gasp.

She did.

"Now, as for you first fear, Severus has been awake taking care of that if that is a problem. Also, you may have noticed your husband over the years has kept any harm for coming to you. I would not allow any sort of damage to come to your body and he has done an excellent job carrying out my wishes."

All the little things were falling into place fro Bellatrix.

"As for being a good mother, you will be and of course you'll have help from the elves and the father."

She looked at him and tried to imagine him burping an infant.

"As for a name, I will name the child. You may have some say, but the choice is mine and you need not worry over it. As for the other fear you have, that is my business."

She didn't know whether he was referring to the fear of the raising the child in this environment or him becoming soft, but she wasn't about to ask at that point. Especially not with Snape in the room.

"I'll leave you with Severus so that he can explain any special instructions that go with his potion. And Bellatrix," the Dark Lord added, "don't worry about those things, it's not good for the pregnancy. I'll see you in my rooms tonight." And with that, he left.

Bellatrix and Snape watched him go and then turned to one another.

"Is this about what I think it's about?" He asked.

She considered whether or not to tell him the truth.

"Has the Dark Lord not told you?"

"I only know that I am making a potion for female fertility and that you'll be in his chambers tonight," he replied cheekily.

"And is the potion ready yet?" She demanded and changed the subject back to safer waters that wouldn't get them both in trouble with the Dark Lord.

"It's cooling. You have to drink it when it is precisely your body temperature." He cast a charm over her and a number appeared over her head. "Have a seat, I'll let you know when it's time to take it." He turned back to the potion and ignored her.

She sat there in the same chair that Dark Lord must have conjured while he was there. She did exactly the opposite of what the Dark Lord told her not to do. She worried. She had a fantasy growing up as a teenager that the Dark Lord would take a queen, she knew it was fantastical but she still dreamed it.

_Bellatrix was sitting in her room on during Christmas holiday in her sixth or seventh year and suddenly she heard a knock on her door. It was her father telling her to get up and put on her best robes. She rushed to get ready. _

In her fantasy world, the Dark Lord had complete power and all the mudbloods were banished to the muggle world. Only those with pure blood remained. The world was perfect.

_When she descended the stairs, her robes flowed behind perfectly making her look feminine and graceful. She came upon the Dark Lord standing in her family's sitting room. Her family was proud to have the powerful man in their home._

_Her father bowed low and asked "What can we do you, My Lord?"_

"_I've come for your oldest daughter!" The Dark Lord replied grandly. _

_Bellatrix blushed as she stood lined up with Andromeda and Narcissa. _

_He gestured to Bellatrix and said in words only a teenage girl come up with, "Please tell me this stunning woman with beautiful dark curly hair and wonderful bone structure and perfectly proportioned body is your eldest!"_

_She rushed into his arms and caught her. "You smell heavenly, it must be your pure, pure blood. Come with me and be my Queen and rule the wizarding world along side me!"_

"_Yes, my Lord!" _

"_Call me Tom. Now let's go and have a huge wedding and make lots and lots of children and rule the world!" _

_She could only swoon. _

So reality was turning out a little differently than her teenage fantasy. For one, no one that she knew of called him Tom. She was fairly certain that would be a quick death. Two, he may admire her in a way, but he wasn't in love with her and he didn't want her to rule the world with him. She had grown up quite a bit since she was a young girl in Hogwarts having fantasies. She knew she would never be the queen she dreamed of being but at least one thing would come true; she would have a child with the Dark Lord. That was something that worried her. Would he make love to her or would he fuck her? Would he take the child and kill her? Would he punish her if she did not become pregnant right away? Would he be as unforgiving with a child as we was with his Death Eaters? She sat there and worried and compared her fantasy to reality.

"Bellatrix… Bellatrix!" Snape repeated impatiently. "Drink the potion now."

She took the vial of orange potion from him and drunk it quickly. It tasted like the way rotten orange peels smelled. Immediately she became light headed.

"The potion will cause an increase in blood flow to the reproductive organs, you might have a slight feeling of light headedness," he said, although it was unnecessary as there was no might about it, "try not to make any sudden movements, the feeling is likely to return. I recommend relaxing for the day. Do you need help back to your room?" Snape asked. He had stood up from his stool and was making his way to the large-framed door.

"No, I should be fine." She didn't feel fine, but she was still a Death Eater and a Slytherin and as such, she did not like showing weakness. She walked through the door that he held open for her and slowly walked down the hall that led to the throne room; her room was just on the other side. Her vision was becoming more blurry but she persisted and shakily opened the doors. It proved to be too much. Everything went black and she collapsed when she arrived inside the throne room.

**O~~~~~O**

**Thanks for taking the time to read everyone. Next chapter's going to be fun, I promise.**

**Write a review and let me know what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Hey guys, I know it's been a while but here is chapter four and I'm about to put up chapter five. Just a little warning... this chapter definitely earns it's M rating.**

Chapter 4

When she woke, she was in her own room. It was dim and quiet except for the quiet talking of Rodolphus was sat to her left and Ruby, her mother-in-law, who was on her right.

"She was supposed to meet with him tonight." She heard Rodolphus whisper to Ruby.

"He's not going to be pleased to see her incapacitated like this. I would not want to be Snape when the Dark Lord catches up to him," Ruby whispered back.

"For Snape's sake, he better hope she up and able to complete her scheduled visit tonight."

"Well, he's fetching a few potions from his personal stores right now… Oh, Bella! Honey, you're awake. How are you feeling? Have you been awake long?"

"I've been better," she replied weakly. "Water?"

"Ruddy, go find some water for your wife. Besides, we need to have girl talk."

They watched until he left and then Ruby slid closer and gave a mischievous smile. "Back when the Dark Lord and I were in Hogwarts, we went out a few times. I was the only girl that I knew of that he ever dated. We didn't last long, it became apparent that he didn't have time for a girlfriend, he was always studying and I found out that my father had betrothed me to my husband," she rolled her eyes and added, "I had no idea who he was at the time. It didn't help that Tom and I were in different houses."

"What!"

"Silly girl, you assume all these people wandering around here are Slytherins. My boys weren't even in the same house. Rabastan was in Ravenclaw."

"No. I mean, I just never heard anyone dare call the Dark Lord that before." Aside from in her own fantasies, she added mentally.

"Then you can probably guess which house I was in… It takes bravery to do what no one else dares to," she hinted.

"A Gryffindor?"

Ruby smiled and her eyes twinkled. "Well, you've known me now for a few years now, you can't hate because of it at this point."

Bellatrix felt Ruby reach out and take her hand, "Honey, you've assumed a lot of things in your life. I'm not saying that you're wrong about everything, I'm just saying you've made a lot of assumptions that have shaped you to the beautiful young woman that you are today. Now, let me go and chase down that slippery Slytherin son of mine. We'll see what's keeping him."

Bellatrix laughed weakly and sunk back down into the pillow.

Ruby left her to allow her to lose herself in her thoughts. Ruby long ago realized that the Dark Lord was thrilled to have Hufflepuffs because they were known for their loyalty, which was something that the Dark Lord prized. She was the first non-Slytherin that he ever inducted to the Death Eaters, though. She smiled as she made her way down the hall, most of these kids around here assumed the Dark Lord was pure-blooded because of his beliefs. They assumed that they were all here for the same reasons while their reason often couldn't be more different. They joined for power, knowledge, acclaim, sadism, tradition, and of course that it was the right thing to do.

Nothing annoyed Ruby more than the way the mudbloods would gawk at 'the wonders of magic'. Ruby grew up with it, it wasn't _wonderful_, it was normal. Yes, it _could _be wonderful, but not in the everyday setting. She detested the way the laws were bent to accommodate mudbloods. They used to not even be allowed to married her kind, real witched and wizards, that is. Ruby pitied Tom in a way. He had muggle blood from father that ran through his veins and the only thing he could do to fight it was to become Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard ever and overcome it like the disease that it was. He kept that to himself for the most part, she was one of the few that knew of his true parentage.

"Ruby," she heard the man of her thoughts say as she passes across the throne room. "Please deliver these potions to our dear Bella, Severus is a bit _indisposed_ at the moment. I borrowed you son when he came out, he's taking him down to isolation for a while."

The Dark Lord stood and everyone that happened to be in the room froze. "Let that be a lesson to all of you," he announced, "When I give you something to do, do not disappoint me."

He caught her by the hand as she was about to step off the dais, "Meet me in my chambers after you're finished. I want to speak with you." He let go of her as a dismissal and she left the room quietly, ignoring the others that were slightly frightened now.

When Ruby returned to Bella's room she was pale and asleep again. She silently crossed the room and knelt next to the bed. She stroked he daughter-in-law's hair, she really did love her. She remember the first time Bella realised that it was her that helped her ready herself for the marriage ceremony. It was a painful talk when her son confided in her the Dark Lord's plans to have a child with Bella with Ruby. Luckily, Ruby already knew. He didn't like how to the outside world it would make her appear adulterous and that he would appear to be a bad husband that she would be "forced to stray." In truth, he couldn't be more proud to be married to her but he hated how it might make her look bad. God, he was so proud of what she would one day do for the Dark Lord. Bellatrix really was Rodolphus' best friend, and as a mother, it warmed Ruby's heart.

Carefully, Ruby administered the potions and covered Bella up and let her sleep. She left the room to join the Dark Lord.

She knocked softly on the door.

"Enter."

She padded across the room and sat on her knees in front of him. She didn't always do this, but she felt that she had taken many liberties lately, even if he wouldn't know about them, and didn't want to appear disrespectful to a man that could bring about the change she wished for in the world.

He let her remain there, so she knew she wasn't wrong in assuming the submissive position.

"How is the future mother of my heir?" He asked.

She shook her head, "Not well, my Lord. I don't think she'll be well enough to _visit _tonight. You may have to wait until she ovulates again. That will be mid-December." Ruby had been keeping tabs on Bella's cycle for him lately. He had confided in her earlier this year that he would be ready soon. He was waiting for certain things to happen at the ministry that would insure his eventual power. He felt he was very close at this point.

"So December?" He sighed.

"Correct, the child could be here by September of next year."

He seemed pleased with the answer as he smiled. "Shhh, Ruby listen to the sounds screaming that can be faintly heard coming from the dungeon. Do you think it's fair that if I have to wait for my heir, that someone should be in pain for it?" He asked rhetorically. "Would you like to go watch? After all, the man has kept you from a grandchild."

She looked up at him for the first time, "You would let me be a grandmother, even when the child would not be of my own blood?"

He smiled at her and said, "You are becoming sentimental, Ruby. Now let's watch and see how long it takes for him to beg for mercy."

September, Lord Voldemort mused, if his heir was born after the first of September he would have to wait an additional year later than normal to start Hogwarts. It didn't matter, by then he would be in control of the entire wizarding world. It would be well within his power to make an exception for his son.

A small voice in his mind whispered, "_or daughter," _which caused this strange pang of softening that he wasn't familiar with. As the father to a son, he imagined himself mainly in the roll as a mentor. The man in his son's life that would teach him to dissect shadows and read into every said and unsaid with scrutiny. He imagined himself as the man who would teach his heir how to achieve his means and quickly and with such finality as possible. Frankly, when he thought of a son, he pictured a version of himself that he could raise anyway that he wanted and that was to eventually rule the wizarding world right along him.

But a daughter, as the little voice reminded, was for some reason different. Of course all the things that came with him being in a role as a mentor still stood but there was more. It was the first he could the imagine the small voice of a child saying, _"Daddy."_ Father, he corrected in his mind. Father sounded much more respectable. But for some reason, _'daddy' _pulled on his heartstrings. A small little girl that would look like her powerful mother with curly hair, he could teach her to be underestimated. Yes, underestimated. He loved the idea of teaching his little girl to look innocent but to be deadly.

Suddenly he was angry, he stormed into the dungeon cell where Snape was being punished.

"Out!" He screamed at MacNair, who had his wand readied in one hand and a bull whip in the other. MacNair quickly wound the whip and hung it on it's hook on the wall. He left the dark room and escorted himself and Ruby out of the dungeons. He would know that Voldemort would want to be alone with the man that wronged him.

"Severus," he addressed him, "I don't enjoy having to punish you."

It was the truth, he did not enjoy being disappointed and having a reason to punish a wizard. If he was going to punish someone, he'd rather it be a useless muggle. Punishing muggles did not bring that same sense of disappointment since they're so lowly to start with.

He reached for the whip on the wall and shook it out. Honestly, he as afraid to use magic on Snape; he was afraid to lose control and kill him, so he settled on this physical punishment. He cracked it once on the floor experimentally and then started on the man that was manacled to wall. Voldemort systematically worked from the top of his shoulder blades to the bottom of his thighs before working his way back up again. By the time his anger started to ebb, clothing and skin hung from Snape's back and legs . His face was bloodied from having hit and scraped it on the dungeon wall in a fruitless attempt to escape the whip and blood ran down his arms from the torn skin that was under the metal manacles.

"Hmmm, what's next?" He asked, not really intending on going any further but still had the desire to see Snape cringe. He reached for the scourge that had the metal hooks along its tails. He knew Snape could see it out of the corner of his eye.

"God, no," Snape pleaded weakly.

"Have you learned your lesson?" Voldemort was able to ask calmly.

"Yes, Master."

"And?" Voldemort prodded.

"I'll make the potion, it will work! I promise!" His voice was getting stronger, but desperate still.

"You will, or you will be intimately familiar with the brink of death."

Voldemort flicked his wand at the manacles and Snape released and became a bloody lump on the stone floor.

"Clean yourself up," Voldemort said dismissively, as if he had no more than a bloody nose, and left.

He traveled out of the dungeons and was appeased that he would have him son or daughter soon.

O~~~~~O

Bellatrix's body felt weak as she opened her eyes the next morning. Her husband and best friend lied next her awake. Rodolphus didn't often do this, share a bed with her. He was still uncomfortable with touching for the most part, and Bellatrix understood that. That was something that he said he loved about her. It was apparent that he didn't sleep well and that he monitored her most of the night. Had it been a few years ago, she would have assumed it was because the Dark Lord told him to, but she knew today is was because he was a good man (not that any mudblood would get the chance to know), and his mother would have smacked him upside the head otherwise.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

She considered for a moment before shrugging rather truthfully.

"I'm so bloody proud of you and I'll be even more proud when you're actually pregnant."

She smiled at him, her hair must have look crazy because he reached out to smooth it down. She closed her eyes and must have fallen back asleep.

Bella wasn't bed ridden for long, she was up and in her lab by the second day, much to the disappointment of the caged muggles she had been working 'with'. She was previously working on a spell that would appeal to the Dark Lord's sense of beauty, as well as blood lust.

She had long ago set a silencing spell over the cage so that the screaming didn't disturb her work but when she turned back to them she saw a woman with mouse brown hair, weak from not having eaten, crouched into a blonde haired man with striking blue eyes. He could have been a Malfoy if he didn't have that muggle stench rolling off him.

When Bellatrix had all her implements and trays laid out, she petrified the caged muggles before unlocking it. She looked at the way the man had wrapped himself around the woman, she would have to un-petrify him to pry him off his cage mate.

"_Finite Incantatem_," she said lazily and flicked her crooked wand at the man. When she bought the wand from Olivander, it was straight. It seemed though that after years of using it for creating dark magic had bent it. She wasn't upset by this though, the changed design seemed to allow dark magic through it more easily.

Suddenly, and foolishly, the man launched himself at her. She stepped aside and he sailed past her and was writhing on the floor was a non-verbal _crucio_ before he even touched her. At least she wouldn't have to touch him to get him out of the cage now. She closed the cage and locked it before she considered lifting the curse.

"Witch!" The man screamed when the curse stopped torturing his body. He meant it as an accusation, but she only smiled. He was petrified and floating towards the St. Andrew's cross in the corner before he could say anything else. The top straps secured around his wrists but she let him stand instead of binding his feet.

"Finite Incantatem," she said again and he was panting again. "You should keep still, muggle, it will hurt less that way."

"Witch! I've watched you kill my whole family, I'll not give you anything!"

She walked up to him slowly and then said the incantation that would permanently stick his lips together. He started to noisily breath through his nose. She ripped his shirt open so she could see if her spell was working or not.

She had learned though her own experimentations that a Permanent Sticking Charm could be used on flesh, however, it only penetrated the outer most layer of skin. When the skins cells died and would begin to slough off, the charm would fail. So much for permanent. The upside was that most of her test subjects never lived longer that their top layer of skin.

Without any further adieu, she started a motion with her wand that was similar to opening a doorknob, then after a few turns she took her wand in a circular motion and then clockwise. The internal bleeding darkened his skin, then she performed a slicing charm that split the man from his navel to his xiphoid process.

"_Accio _Heart."

A perfectly severed heart floated from the weakened man's body. It seemed as though the first part of the spell, the severing, was perfected. Next was her desire to combine the severing and the summoning. She couldn't wait to be able to show it to the Dark Lord, to offer him a way to rip someone's heart out, as cleanly as possible.

The man only saw his beat once before he passed out, he would be dead within minutes. '

"Trollie!" Bellatrix called as she magically guided the bleeding mass of muscle into a metal tray.

The elf winked in and curtsied low.

"Clean that up," she ordered as she nodded towards the man.

"Right away, Mistress."

"And Trollie, fetch Severus Snape for me when you've finished."

"Yes, Mistress."

Bellatrix cut the heart into parts while she waited for Trollie to return with Snape.

"You summoned?" Snape's silky voice asked. She set aside the parts, she'd sort them out later.

"Yes, actually, I have something to offer you. I have a muggle here that I don't plan on using and I didn't want it to go to waste." She gestured to the silenced, caged woman that was crying hysterically over the death of her husband. "I figured you could use it to test my potion on. It's about my size, give it the potion and see if it ends up pregnant."

"Sure. Do you mind if I leave her here until I've finished another potion."

She shrugged. "Well, I guess I should feed it if you have any hope of impregnating it."

"Indeed," he said and turned to leave.

"Oh and Snape-"

"Severus."

"Severus, be sure to dispose of any abominations sooner rather than later."

He nodded and left.

Severus looked down at the potion in front of him on his work bench. He had cast a stasis charm over it so that it would not lower in temperature before it would be drunk. He looked across to the room to the muggle woman that he collected from Bellatrix the day before. It had been a week and a half since Bellatrix had offered her to him for his own purposes. The muggle was sitting in a chair with magical rope binding her. She was calmed though, he had given her a calming draught. He didn't have the time, nor the patience for a hysterical woman.

He understood that the Dark Lord craved violence as a show of power and Severus and the other Death Eaters would give him that, whether out of loyalty or desire, but in the privacy of his own labs he had no desire for it. He damn near sedated the muggle woman to keep her manageable.

"_Hypothalius_." He cast the spell that would reveal her body temperature. He watched as the number over her head finally settled on ninety-seven point eight, then made a few last minute notations of the changes he made to the current potion. He removed the stasis charm from the potion when he decided on a course of action and waiting about three and a half minutes before guiding the potion down the muggle's throat.

She looked up at him with drowsy eyes but she didn't seem any worse than before she took it so he checked the bindings and left her alone.

Severus strode out in search of someone to test the potion's efficacy. He would not use himself to test the potion, and would not kill his own unborn child if the potion was effective. Any child he would create would have no more blood purity than he. Was he no less of an abomination than Bellatrix's accused a child, even if it was a child of rape, of his to be? His half-blood status was not widely known and he did nothing to bring it to light.

He passed by Nott and didn't offer to job to him. Nott had a quiet sort of violence to him. No, Severus needed the woman pregnant, not brutalised.

"Avery," he called to the lanky man not far from where he was. _Perfect. _Avery was the best and worse kind of follower, he followed blindly. He was either too narrow minded or stupid to do anything else. Avery's father had been one of the Dark Lord's original followers, Knights of Walpurgis he used to call them before they became known as Death Eaters in honor of the Dark Lord's search for immortality.

"Oi, out of your lab there, huh Snape?"

"As you can see," Severus replied dryly, "I am, indeed, out of my lab."

"Jesus," Avery said and then clicked his tongue, "loosen up a bit."

"I have a favor to ask of you, although you will probably find it to be a treat."

"Ah," he rubbed his hands together, "tell me about it, Sniv- er Snape."

Severus glared at him for a minute instructing, "There is a woman in my lab and it is imperative that she conceives a child. Do you think you can mange that?" He asked condescendingly.

A looked at Snape suspiciously, "Why aren't you doing it?"

"I have more important things to do with my time," he somewhat lied, "now do you think you can manage it without breaking her before the task is finished?"

"Sure, it'll be fun," he replied in a blasé tone.

"Go to her tonight, and then cast a pregnancy detection charm over her when you've finished and leave it there so that I can keep observation over her when I return in the morning to see if any conception happens."

"Man, loosen up," Avery muttered.

"No," Severus shouted and lunged at the surprised man. He pinned Avery the wall and held his wand to his throat. "This is for the Dark Lord! Don't fuck it up." Avery couldn't feel the way his barely healed skin stretched uncomfortable across his back, it was not an assignment that Severus wanted to botch again. Severus lowered his voice and whispered in a deadly tone, "And don't forget, I've forgotten more about colorless, tasteless, undetectable poisons that you'll ever know. I would not cross me if I were you and I would not be so nonchalant about the will of the Dark Lord."

Avery met his eyes and Severus let him go and walked away from the silenced man with a feeling of triumph.

He felt even more triumphant when he arrived in his lab the next morning to see the muggle woman with a blue glow surrounding her. It amazed him for a moment how quick and effective the potion was. He turned away from her, she sat with her knees curled up into her chest with her emotions rolling off her, eyes puffy from crying. He started preparing ingredients when he heard the woman lash out.

"Why don't you just kill me already!" The muggle begged.

"You do know you're getting off easy, don't you?" He could see in her eyes that, from what she'd seen in the last week or so with her family being killed and being raped that night before, she realised it.

"That evil woman slaughtered my husband. Why are you being so 'nice', if you can call it that?"

There was a first, no one ever accused Severus Snape of being nice. "Do you realise," he replied, unsure of why he was allowing the muggle to engage him, "that you living or dying is not a priority to me? You've already assisted in my rise in favor with the Dark Lord. Whether you live or die no longer changes my status. Now, shut up and I'll give you a potion that will kill you painlessly."

She complied, she probably knew is was the best she could hope for.

**Thank you for taking the time and reading this chapter. In the past I have really appreciated your reviews even though I haven't had a chance to thank everyone personally, so that you everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 5

Knock, knock, knock.

Severus looked up to see Bellatrix standing in the doorway of his laboratory with her arms crossed over her chest. He watched her glance over the muggle and then smile.

"If that's your child Severus, it would be the ugliest thing ever born," she commented as a way to acknowledge the muggle's state of pregnancy.

"Luckily it will never be born," he answered, he didn't bother to correct her assumption that the child would be his.

"Are you done with it?" Bellatrix gestured to the muggle woman.

"No, I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I kept her. I have some more potions I might as well test out since I have someone here," he lied.

Bellatrix only pouted and replied, "You owe me." She left to go find Rodolphus.

Bellatrix found him chatting with a group of men that joined the Dark Lord not long ago. She looked at the boys, they wouldn't have even been in their first year by the time she had graduated, but it warmed her heart to know that they still got it: They understood why it was so important to support the Dark Lord and didn't back down, or allow themselves to be brainwashed by Dumbledore.

"Bella, have you been introduced to Barty Crouch?" Rodolphus asked her when he noticed her approach.

"-Junior," Crouch added compulsively.

"We haven't," she replied, not in a polite setting at least, but she did play a role in his initiation.

"Well, Mr. Crouch, this is my beautiful wife Bellatrix," she ignored Crouch's cringe.

Rodolphus leaned down and kissed her on the cheek and she squeezed his hand because she knew it was mostly for show. Rodolphus went on to say "Mr. Crouch has agreed to offer to the Dark Lord information he has about the goings on of the wizengamet that he learns from his father."

They made small chit chat for a few minutes about the thing Crouch could typically get access to because of his father before she excused herself to speak with her husband.

"Ruddy, I have a favor to ask of you. You know I'm not allowed to leave here because of everything that's been going on lately. Well, I gave my last muggle to Snape and he kept it and I was hoping you'd go out and get me some more?"

A beatific smile crossed his face, "Nothing would make me happier, love."

She couldn't help but think that he was such a sweet guy to go out and get her muggles- or anything really- anytime she'd ask.

"Any kind of muggle you're looking for in particular? Man, woman, child?" He offered.

"No, just whatever."

"Alright then, I'll head out tonight and you'll have a new batch by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, will you walk me down to our rooms?" He didn't reply; he just offered her his arm and led her out of the room.

Only a few weeks passed before Bellatrix found Severus Snape knocking at her door. She had been expecting him for a few days now.

"Come in," she said. When she saw him holding several vials with potions in them, she inquire, "What's all that?"

He laid all six out and then pointed to them individually. "Fertility potion, Antidote-just in case we have a repeat from last time, Blood Replenishing potion, a weakened version of the Fertility potion, an antidote for that one, too, and a Prenatal Vitamin potion." He then handed her the Vitamin and the Blood Replenishing Potions.

"Sit down for a bit and we'll get started on getting the temperatures correct."

When everything was set he handed her the vial with the first Fertility Potion and kept observation so ensure that she'd be alright this time. Then he handed her the replenishing potion and then the vitamins.

"How are you feeling? The Blood Replenishing potion should keep from a sudden drop in blood pressure from all the blood rushing to, ah, your uterus. Can you stand up and walk around, if you don't mind?"

Bellatrix glared for a minute at this twig of a kid telling her what to do before standing. She expected to feel worse than she did, she noticed, but she seemed to feel fine.

"I'm alright," she said finally.

"The Dark Lord would like to see you in his rooms tonight at eight, then, assuming that the pregnancy takes and holds, you'll need to return to me and get a Prenatal Vitamin potion each week."

Bellatrix nodded and Snape left at that. She spent the rest of the day fidgeting and deciding what to wear; never really settling on anything until it was almost time to leave. In the end she removed her under garmets and only wore her outer robes that were made of a material of crushed velvet in Slytherin green.

It was a quarter 'til eight and Bellatrix was about to leave when she heard a light tapping at her door. The door started to open and she pulled out her wand, ready to curse the hell out of whoever dared enter without her bidding. Lucky for the trespasser, it was the Dark Lord. She smiled at him and curtsied.

"Is something wrong?" She dared to ask.

"Not at all, my dear. I came because I wanted to show something to you first." He held out his arm to her and she placed her hand into the crook of his elbow. She wondered how he was possibly feeling about all this. She had never seen him interact with anyone intimately and only had the story Ruby told her as a reference that he had ever felt that way about anyone.

"She told you about that?" He asked as he led her out of the door and down the hall towards the throne room.

She tried to keep the scowl off her face when she realized that he was in her mind.

"Ha ha ha," he laughed. "God help any Slytherin that has ever had feelings for a Gryffindor. They're too noble for their own good. They're always off doing the right thing. I wasn't about to beg," he rolled his eyes, "for her to stay with me, run away with me in my quest for knowledge over doing the 'right' thing, and marrying her betrothed."

"Who was I to stand in the way of a pureblood union? It's everything I stand for."

It was times like this that he surprised her the most, when he was so candid.

"Should I be jealous?" She smiled at him so he would know she wasn't serious.

"Only if I should be jealous of your Rodolphus," he answered her. "Besides, Ruby turned out to be an excellent friend and advisor, so there was no loss."

Bellatrix started to feel a noticeable increase of magical energy as they reached what was presumable their destination. All her hair stood on end from the force of it all and she knew that she would not have madeit this far on her own. It was only that she was physically holding onto the Dark Lord that she was accepted here. When they reached the door, he pricked his finger and placed it against the door, allowing it to open. Inside was only a pedestal with a golden cup on it. She waited for him to speak.

"This is one of my greatest possessions. It's Helga Hufflepuff's cup. When our child is born, you will move it to the LeStrange vault in Gringotts. I know I've never given you an active mission, aside from what you normally do, but when the time comes you are to protect this cup with your life. It's importance is above even that of a child we will create. I know you may not see the significance, but the cup contains something that is essential to our cause and our power," he said, but didn't go into any further detail.

"What is it?"

"It's mine," he said simply.

She wanted to ask, 'your what?' but she knew better and she knew that that would have to be enough for now.

"Now come along, we'll talk more about the cup when the time comes."

The same uncomfortable tingles assaulted Bellatrix again as they made their way out of the room that held the cup. Suddenly the tingles that were caused by the effects of the magic were tingles of nerves and anticipation. She knew that tomorrow her curiosity would peak again for the mysterious cup but until then her mind was firmly, or rather fuzzy, in the here and now.

She felt the desire to walk closer to him, to be closer to him. This was the day that she would act on her teenage crush. Did she still have fantasies of ruling the world with him? Not really anymore, but she knew she would cast everything aside to be with him and prove her love and devotion to him. She was smart though, she knew that he would never openly return any affection for her. It was a weakness that he wouldn't expose, that was if he had that particular weakness, she amended.

They came to a stop in front of the door that led to his rooms and he led her inside. She passed through an invisible wall of wards that felt like the familiar magical signature of the Dark Lord. Once inside, he stepped away from her and she noticed his eyes run over her body clearly in lust. To be on the receiving end of that look turned her insides to jelly.

"Just listen and feel," he instructed before cursing her. "Imperio!"

Bellatrix felt like she had been submerged in a pool of warm comforting waters where she could just relax and let go. Her hearing had gone hazy but she could still see him clearly.

"Undress."

A clear voice instructed in her head. As her hands moved of their own accord the row of fastenings going down her robes, the whole experience shifted from being slightly awkward and uncertain to unapologetically erotic. Her fingers kept moving but she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. When she had the robe unfastened enough that she could let it slide down her body, she did.

His eyes followed the robe as it dropped to the floor. He slid his eyes slowly back of her now naked body. Bellatrix felt a rush of arousal and closed her eyes to take it all in.

"Look at me," she heard, it was muffled by the curse but she knew to obey. Her eyes snapped open.

"Undress me," the commanding voice came again.

Her feet moved her toward him and her fingers slipped his buttons through the holes in his robes until his pale chest was exposed to her. She fought the curse to move her hand to touch him. His sparse black chest hair under her fingers mesmerized her until she felt his hand grab her.

He pulled her hand away from his chest; kissing her fingertips. "So strong," he said. He let go of her hand and the both went to his shoulders to push off the robes. It must have been what he wanted. His robes fell similarly to the way hers did. He was just as naked underneath.

Bellatrix could do nothing but stand there as he reached a hand out and ran it over her body, from her shoulders to her breasts and then down her stomach and over her hips. She would have given him anything he asked for, Imperius or not, and she tried to convey that with her eyes. She desperately wanted to touch him again but she couldn't fight the curse with his hands all over her body like they were. It was torture and she loved it.

The muffled sound around her almost drowned out his words, "Bellatrix, my dear Bellatrix."

She felt herself backing up and being pushed magically into the bed. He followed her, trapping her under him. Her body, while relaxed from the curse, crackled with sensation where his naked flesh touched her. His skin was cold to the touch but it was a welcome chill; she felt she was becoming too hot. Her skin was flushed and if she had any control she would have begged him to take her.

"Ple…" Her breathing was heavy from the exertion of just trying to say please. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips for the very first time. At first it was unhurried and languorous and it built until it was greedy and ravenous. After some time, she was aware of the scent of her own arousal and knew he must be aware of it as well.

"I wanted you and I'll make you mine," he whispered, but she heard him clearly as if the curse had been lifted. She didn't know if it was or not but didn't have much time to think about it before he slid all the way into her and filled her. His movements were long and fast and she felt like she was being worked into a frenzy. He slowed though and pulled himself up so that he could see where their bodies joined. His hands were on her hips keeping them connected the whole time. She watched as he seemed to be hypnotized by the sight of his long thin glistening cock moving in and back out of her body repeatedly. He was smooth except for the prominent veins that ran along the top of him. The feeling and the look on his face was enough to frazzle her brain.

Suddenly, he had that spot and her orgasm was unstoppable. She was so out of it from her orgasm that she hadn't realized that he'd finished, too.

When she finally opened her eyes to look at him, he said, "You're mine."

"Always," she replied easily.

He left her there on his bed with a charm to detect pregnancy. The next morning when she woke, the blue aura around her signified a successful conception that was expedited by the fertility potion.

So began her pregnancy.

O~~~~~O

The next morning Trollie was bustling through the room when Bellartrix awoke. Her arms were loaded with towels, linens, a robe for her, and breakfast. Bella had seen any number of elves do this balancing act a number of times and was unimpressed by it.

"Good morning, Mistress!" Trollie chirpered, "Trollie is bringing you your favorite purple robes to cheer you because I am to inform you that Master wants you to stay in bed until the baby holds on."

What?

"Master has consulted a healer," Trollie continued, having read the look on her face, "that has advised him that the first trimester is the most common for a miscarriage to occur in humans."

Bellatrix kept her scathing remark to herself about elves saying things like 'human' like they need to differentiate between humans and elves. No one cared about how elves repopulate themselves.

Three months in bed, huh? Trollie informed her that she was permitted to move to her own rooms but the Dark Lord would prefer if she stayed here. She didn't know what to make of that or what the 'right choice' was. In the end she decided to move to her own rooms so that she was free to have visitors as she pleased because she was sure the Dark Lord wouldn't want that many people flowing in and out of his room on a regular basis. Though she was stuck in bed for the next couple months, she didn't plan on spending it alone by any means. If the Dark Lord wanted her back, he would come get her. Until then, she'd hold her potential swoon over the events that had occurred.

Her first visitor was her sister, who walked quietly into the room. Narcissa Malfoy had come a long way from the hysterical girl who had inadvertently recruited her sister to be a Death Eater. She had a quiet sense of acceptance now. She was a woman who now knew that her every action was to be scrutinized, more though now as the wife of a prominent Death Eater than before as a pureblood. People waited for her to screw up, but she didn't give them the pleasure. She was acutely aware now that her every action had consequences on her husband, and she wasn't always protected from him by the Dark Lord like she was the first time. When it came to pain, Narcissa liked to think of herself as a 'once was enough' sort of woman. So on the rare times that she found herself in the Dark Lord's manor, she only spoke to her husband and her sister. Anyone that needed to speak with her could do it on her turf, in her home.

When she entered the room, there was a faint blue glow around her sister that was fading, as the charm should after an hour or two, if the charm wasn't cancelled on its own. She walked to the bed where Bellarix was sitting propped up against her pillows. A complex emotion washed over her, something akin to sadness and fear. Narcissa place her hand over her sister's still-flat stomach and sighed.

"This baby," she paused as the strange emotion caught her again, "this child will either be very good for you, or it could be your undoing. I don't know Bella, it just doesn't feel right to me," she whispered.

Bellatrix did nothing to acknowledge Narcissa's words. If she was honest with herself, she felt that fear, too. They sat there for a long time, neither of them able to acknowledge the words that were spoken again.

Narcissa cleared her throat lightly and said, "I brought something for you." She turned to the pocket in her traveling cloak and pulled out a well-made leather bound book.

"Mother gave me this; I think she expected me to be pregnant first. It's a journa; it's charmed to be able to be used each generation. If you ever have any questions or concerns, it's supposed to show you how the women of previous generations handled them. And who knows, if this is a little girl, you can give it to her someday."

Bellatrix paused to look over the pages that appeared blank. She conjured a quill and wrote: "Within me I hold the continuation of a great dynasty." She watched the ink dry, and vanished the quill into nothingness."Thanks, Cissy."

Her second visitor; and it couldn't really be counted as such because it was his rooms too, was Rodolphus. He came in and flopped onto the bed and looked at Bellatrix with a goofy smile.

"So this is what we've been waiting for this whole time? You're glowing already," he joked about her blue glow and then vanished it with a flick of his wand.

Bellatrix closed her eyes and laid back onto her pillows. A smile broke through. She felt him squeeze her hand briefly before letting go.

"I know I told you before, but I am so proud."

O~~~~~O

There were times when the air would tingle. It would seem to vibrate. Was it magical energy? Was it just palpable excitement? When a Death Eater apparated to the Dark Lord's manor, they knew something big was happening. The Dark Lord seemed anxious, but it didn't seem like a bad thing. He paced around the manor and there was something about him, something sure and prideful. Something he was looking forward to that no one seemed privy to.

It was a cold morning in the end of February when the Dark Lord walked purposely to Bellatrix's rooms. Was he… smiling? He was in there for about twenty minutes before he emerged with Bellatrix on his arm. He simply walked her to her lab, "dropped her off" and came right back to his chair that sat upon his dais. He sat there and lorded over everyone that passed through the manor until later that day when he went to Bellatrix's lab and showed her back to her room. He started doing that everyday, escorting Bellatrix to and from her lab, and soon this pattern was predictable. The Death Eaters whispered amongst themselves in dark corners. What was happening? Was the Dark Lord in love? Why, after all this time, did he start taking an interest in Mrs. Lestrange?

It wasn't until one day that summer, that instead of taking Bellatrix to her lab, he brought her to the throne room instead. Everyone was gathered, it was right before a meeting. The Order of the Phoenix had been laying low for a while and the Death Eater were planning offensive attacks.

It was a grand entrance, they walked arm in arm in a formal way straight to the middle of the room. He took a sharp turn and took her right along with him up to the dais.

Everyone watch as she seemed to glow from his attention. The Death Eaters wondered if he planned to take her as a wife, as the end of the war was palpable. They couldn't be more surprised when their leader dropped to his knees before Bellatrix. She removed a cloak and underneath was a more fitted robe that revealed her rounded pregnant stomach. It was obvious the way the Dark Lord kept his eye on her; in that moment and during all times, that the child was his. He touched her stomach in a reverent way before standing. He took a deep breath and began to make an announcement.

"My most devoted followers," he began, "I have good news to bring to you. The war is coming to a close, the Order of the Phoenix is cowering, and my Ministry is ready to be mine; the final piece of the puzzle in place." He gestured to Bellatrix who was standing proudly with her hands crossed over her stomach, "I have an heir now and my Dynasty will go on."

Everyone applauded and cheered. There were many people that still wondered out of sheer nosiness where Rodolphus fit into all of this, but they didn't dare ask. They took their seats at the conjured table and went on with the briefings.

When the Lord Voldemort took Bellatrix and his heir, he added mentally, back to her rooms, he stepped inside. Most times he would step in just long enough to make sure she was settled in but tonight he stepped into her room and told her that he would be giving Bellatrix her most important task yet.

O~~~~~O

**A/N: Hey everybody! Thanks for taking the time to read! **


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